Are hard, immobile lumps always a concern?

Last winter I had a very bad cold. A few weeks later, I noticed a hard, painless, immobile lump about 2 cm above my right ear. It is not attached to the skin and is about the size and shape of an almond. I thought maybe it was a lymph node or something related to the cold and didn't think much of it.

Six months later, it is still there. It has not grown and I have no other symptoms. I have an upcoming physical with my doctor and will definitely show it to him, but how concerned should I be? I have a very high insurance deductible so I would have to pay for all tests out of pocket, so it would be good to have a general idea of how aggressively I should pursue this.

[Monica M, MD]

Hi,
The best way to ascertain the nature of the lump would be a fine needle aspiration from the lump followed by a pathological examination of the specimen obtained. Infections can cause enlargement of lymph nodes. Sometimes these may persist for a long time due to chronic persistent infection or fibrosis. Benign lesions like lipomas, neuromas, sebaceous cysts can also give rise to such swellings. It would be better to get the swelling checked by your doctor and discuss if it needs further evaluation.
All the best!